Post-Operative Respiratory Failure

After surgery, serious complications such as post-operative respiratory failure can delay or prevent a patient’s proper recovery. If you or someone close to you has been injured by the failure of a doctor to take proper care following a surgery, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore surgical malpractice lawyers can explore the facts of the case and help you fight for the compensation that you deserve to address your injuries. We have achieved many substantial settlements and verdicts for victims of medical malpractice and their families throughout the state of Maryland.

Understanding the Impact of Post-Operative Respiratory Failure

Post-operative respiratory failure is a serious condition in which the lungs are not able to regulate the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide in and out of the bloodstream. Put another way, respiratory failure results in the failure of the lungs to properly complete one or both of their main tasks: taking in oxygen from the air and getting it into the bloodstream, as well as eliminating carbon dioxide from the blood through air that is exhaled. Either too little oxygen or too much carbon dioxide can have dire consequences for a victim’s overall condition. Post-operative respiratory failure is also used as a broad descriptor that can cover pneumonia, aspiration, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and pulmonary emboli, among other issues.

While anyone who undergoes surgery may have some risk of post-operative respiratory failure, there are certain risks that make some patients more susceptible to it than others. Some of the factors that a doctor should take into account include a patient’s medical history, weight, any history of lung disease, and any present conditions that they may have. In addition, the type of surgery being performed can also affect the risk of post-operative respiratory failure.

Medical professionals are trained to be able to identify the signs of respiratory failure. As a result, when these professionals fail to diagnose and treat the condition in a timely manner, this often will be considered medical malpractice. Medical malpractice takes place when a medical professional fails to use the accepted standard of care, causing injuries or death to a patient. The standard of care refers to how a reasonably prudent medical professional in the same specialty would have acted under the same or similar circumstances. The standard of care typically takes into account a number of factors, such as the patient’s age and medical history.

In Maryland, a “qualified” or “expert” witness will typically testify regarding whether the defendant followed or deviated from the accepted standard of care. A qualified expert in a medical malpractice case is usually a medical professional in the same specialty as the defendant. For example, if the defendant is an anesthesiologist, the qualified witness will likely be an anesthesiologist. It is important to note that the expert witness cannot be a party, an employer or partner of a party, an employee or stockholder of a corporation of which a party is a stockholder, or a person having any other financial stake in the outcome of the trial. In other words, the expert witness must not be personally connected to the trial and its outcome. Under Rule 5-702 of the Maryland Rules of Civil Procedure, this type of expert testimony may be admitted if the court deems that the testimony will help the trier of fact (either the judge or the jury) understand the evidence or determine a fact at issue in the case.

Contact a Knowledgeable Medical Negligence Lawyer in Baltimore

After a surgery, it is necessary that physicians carefully monitor the patient to make sure that everything is going as planned. If you or your loved one developed post-operative respiratory failure or a post-surgical infection due to a medical professional’s negligence, you need to speak to a resourceful Baltimore attorney who understands each step in the process of bringing a legal claim. At Arfaa Law Group, our attorneys are committed to pursuing the compensation that you need to deal with a medical mistake and move on with your life. We represent injured people throughout the state of Maryland. For a free case evaluation, call us at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.